I think you are right, and it is important for you to share your insight and experience and keep on doing so. My Dad 87, commenced Lipitor 20mg after an infarct last year. Eight weeks in, (I waited for it) he was getting muscle pain, weakness and general fatigue, he developed memory/cognitive problems. Eventually after several trips back and forth to a great GP; he agreed risk-verses benefit issues, and took Dad off statins. He was also aware of the growing contrary evidence about statins, even though the medical model is still to always prescribe statins.

As a RN who worked in cardiology 6 years, we would often talk among ourselves, and to our ‘inquiring’ patients – the most commonly asked question? “Why did I have a heart attack if I have low colesterol?” Even then we understood ‘the science’ does not add up. Our nurse educator was prescribed satins, but would not take them for fear of side effects – a very educating point of view that demanded more questions – (Not everyone experiences such severe side effects immediately)

The pharmaceutical industry has a lot to answer for, and although the medical machine grinds its way forward, people are asking more questions, and sometimes they find answers and research on the net and share their insights.

Change does happen and will take place, I believe more and more health practitioners are becoming aware of certain discrepancies in their discipline, but not everyone is courageous enough or able to front the issues as Cate is doing. Thank you Dr Cate.

Mahalo for that very profound statement. They say that if you commit the sin of having a heart attack or stroke, watch out because your doctor will come at you with a vengeance and scare you into taking a statin drug for the rest of your life. My mother was prescribed 20 mgs of Lipitor after her stroke in 2006. Her doctor told us that Mom had to take it even though she did not have a high cholesterol problem and that if we stopped the drug, the doctor would stop being Mom’s doctor. So since all of the doctor’s in Hilo were not taking new patients, my brother obeyed the doctor so that Mom would be able to have a doctor. Six weeks after starting Lipitor, Mom began repeating questions as her brain began experiencing short term memory loss. About 3 months after being on Lipitor, the cardiologist announced to us that Mom was now pre diabetic and having symptoms of congestive heart failure. Within two years and 9 months, MOM went from being an ambulatory person to someone who could barely walk and who must have a wheel chair or a walker to get around. Even though it didn’t show up in her blood tests, Mom’s skeletal muscles have literally wasted away thanks to Lipitor. As soon as Mom came to stay with me in December 2008, I took her off of Lipitor and announced to any doctor that questioned us that statins had destroyed Mom’s quality of life and that she would not be taking the drug ever again. The 1% to 2% absolute risk reduction is not worth it. After reading about the Allhat study, I feel betrayed by the medical establishment. I have had friends and relatives die of congestive heart failure in the last few years and I can’t help but ask myself, were they taking cholesterol drugs? Its like David fighting Goliath. The medical establishment has turned into an intimidating drug pushing monster that makes its profit off of the very people that it harms or kills. The only way to make the monster stop is to have thousands more of Dr. Cates rise up and say, “No More.”
The nobodies like me don’t stand a chance.